What a Romantic Place, the Forbidden Forest
by insanebutgenius
Summary: “I DON’T LIKE YOU!” she screamed exasperatedly.James laughed. “Maybe if you say it enough it’ll come true.” For once Lily stayed silent. She just balled her hands into fists and took a swing at James.


"James Potter, you are the most conceited, spoiled, immature little prick that I have ever met!" the red head yelled furiously, making her voice echo through the Forbidden Forest.

"Now, Lily, when you say things like that it makes me think that you don't like me." Said James Potter, wounded, and placing a hand to his chest.

"I _DON'T_ LIKE YOU!" she screamed exasperatedly.

James laughed. "Maybe if you say it enough it'll come true."

For once Lily stayed silent. She just balled her hands into fists and took a swing at James.

Lily Evans and James Potter were notorious for their fights. Well, Lily was notorious for her temper; James just returned her accusations with witty remarks. That was one of the reasons Lily fought with him so hard. Why couldn't he just yell back at her, like a normal person? Lily could fight that, but just him standing there without a care about what she said? She had no defense against that except to resort to violence when she ran out of comebacks.

James easily avoided her punch by stepping to the left when Lily put all her weight into the bone-crushing blow. Without contact she stumbled and would have fallen if James hadn't caught her.

_This is all my fault_, Lily thought. _If I hadn't come outside, in broad view of _him_, for some quiet study time this wouldn't have happened. Why couldn't I have stayed in my room? I am so dense sometimes._

Lily found herself in James' grasp, completely at his mercy. But that didn't mean she gave up without a fight. This was Lily Evans we're talking about. She wasn't a damsel in distress; she was a warrior.

She squirmed and struggled against his grasp. "Get off! Get off or I swear I'll scream rape! I mean it!"

But James, Quiddich chaser extraordinaire, was stronger. He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "Lily, could you not scream so much, huh? We're kind of in the forbidden forest." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Which, by the way, is off limits, and as Head Girl you should know that." He stood up a little straighter and gasped. "Is the Head Girl doing something naughty?"

Still struggling Lily answered, "Not that it's any of your business, but I was studying. You know, opening books and doing homework? If you need a complete definition of "work" then look it up."

"Are you insinuating that I don't work?" he asked.

"Wow, he got that insult. Ten points for the home team!" she muttered.

James shifted around. "Stop squirming around!" With a burst of imagination Lily stamped on his foot. He yelped and let go of her. "Well, that was rude!"

She scrambled away from him and said, "Well, if you would have just let go of me like I asked-"

"Demanded, more like." James interrupted her, massaging his foot.

"Then I wouldn't have had to resort to violence." She said, ignoring him.

"Resort to violence?" James laughed. "You were tying to punch me, remember?"

"I missed, didn't I?" she said cheekily.

"If I hadn't moved out of the way, you would have fallen! I did you a favor."

"A favor?" she yelled. "A favor to you is being locked in a vice-like grip by an enemy who wants to date you?"

He stepped closer and put a hand under her chin. "If said enemy is as gorgeous as you, then yes. That would be a huge favor."

She batted his hand away. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Actually," he said, "It'll get you everywhere."

"Not with me."

"The only place I want to be," James said, forlornly.

"Just shut up and leave." She pointed to her right.

"Lily, that's not the way out." He pointed behind him. "That is."

"Potter, I've been here before and that is the way out." She pointed to her right again.

"I will bet you that," he pointed behind him. "Is the way out." He smiled charmingly at her. "I've been here more times than you have."

"I doubt it," She muttered, surveying the forest. In her squirming and yelling at each other they'd traveled around. In truth, she had no idea where they were but she wasn't going to let Potter lead her out of here.

"What was that?" he asked her.

"_I doubt it_." She said, enunciating every word.

"Oh, yeah?" James said challengingly.

She turned to face him. "I bet this is only your fifth time in here but you just want people to think you're "bad"." She used quotation fingers around the "bad".

"I'm as bad as I want to be, baby."

She narrowed her eyes at him and pointed a finger in his face. "Never, _ever_, call me baby ever again." She spun around and started walking away from him. She had to get out of this bloody forest.

"And why is that?" With no response, he continued, "I mean, there's got to be a story behind that somewhere." He smirked. "Scorned lover, perhaps?"

"Excuse me? Scorned love-" she broke off and whirled around to face him again. "You know damn well that I have never been a _scorned lover_. Where would I find a guy brave enough to face your wand? Please, tell me because I'd like to have a boyfriend _before_ I die!" She screamed the last part so loud that several birds took off into the sky.

James didn't seem too bothered by her rant. "Well, can I help it if I don't think anyone is good enough for you?"

"Oh really?" she said, taking a step closer. "And who is?" she laughed in his face. "You?"

He thought about it. "Yes, I am definitely at the top of the list."

"You wish, Potter. You wish that my bar was so low, that I had hit rock bottom, that I would be desperate enough to date _even you_." She put her hands on her hips, defiantly

"I do wish that, actually, every day." He grabbed her elbow as she turned to walk away. "Now why not? I happen to know that I am a fine piece of real estate."

"That!" she yelled, pointing an accusing finger at his face. "Right there! Why would I want to date _that_?"

"Why wouldn't you want to date this?"

"Running out of comebacks, James Potter?"

"Running out of reasons to not date me, Lily Evans? He fired right back.

"Running- out of- haven't you listened to me at all? I have told you many a time why on _Earth_ I won't date you. Here, I'll do it in alphabetical order: A, arrogant, B, berk, C, conniving, D, disobedient-"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember the list. But haven't _you_ seen that I've changed? I don't curse people at random anymore. I do my homework, I got Head Boy for god sakes." He yelled exasperatedly. "I've changed, _for you_, but you haven't even noticed." He took a breath. "For someone who complains about what I need to change, you sure don't recognize when I do it."

Her face softened a fraction. "You changed for me?" she asked confused. "You don't even pay attention to what I say when I yell at you."

He laughed bitterly, "Believe me, Lily, any attention from you, I make sure to pay attention."

She didn't know what to say to that. What _do_ you say to that? What were they fighting about before?

They stood in silence for a while until Lily asked, "Do you have any idea where we are?"

"Ah, so you don't know how to get out." He said, smirking.

Her face darkened, "You know I was just starting to think you were a semi-good guy but then I think, what? Am I going insane? This is Potter we're talking about, he'll never change!"

"Never change?" he yelled back. Lily stumbled back, surprised, until her back was against a tree trunk. He had never yelled back at her before. "Never change? Are you kidding me? Now you listen to me, _Lily Evans_," He strode purposefully toward her. "I have done everything, I've changed my entire _personality_ because of _you_, _for you._ And if you think it was easy, you would be wrong because it was Hell to do. Did you know I spent two days in the Hospital Wing? Why? Because Snape picked a fight with me and because of _you_ I didn't defend myself."

"I didn't say you couldn't defend yourself." Lily said, quietly.

"Now, Lily don't go take back your words; flakey isn't something guys like in a girl."

Something inside Lily snapped. She glared into his chocolate brown eyes and said, "How do you think it was for me all these years? Having you humiliate me every chance you got? Yeah, that was big, big fun! And how about when I actually found a guy nice enough to date me, you'd ambush him in a deserted corridor and transfigure him into a chicken? So that no one would dare make a pass at _your girlfriend_?" she said, bitterly.

"We've been over this already! No one was good enough for you!" he yelled into her face.

"Why didn't you let me figure that out for myself instead of letting some guy who I don't even like make all my decisions for me? I'm a big girl, James Potter, I can make choices just as well as the next person." She said, snidely. "Anyway, if anyone was bad for me, it would have been you! You just want me so you can say you dated the "unattainable"."

He let out a scream of frustration, gripped his hair, and turned away from her. He turned back a second later with an emotion in his eyes that Lily couldn't quite place. "You think that's why I want you? God, Lily, for being so smart, you can be incredibly dumb." Lily opened her mouth to object but James cut her off. "I want you because you're brave, intelligent, funny, gorgeous, and maybe not to me, but you're the nicest person I've ever met. I love you Lily Evans! God help me but I do." With determination in his eyes he put a hand to her cheek and kissed her soundly.

Lily, at first, stood there, completely comatose, thinking: _What just happened? Did he just say he loved me? _Love me_, love me?_ But she found herself enjoying the kiss so much that her brain shut down. She put her arms around his neck and melted into him.

James Potter was in Heaven. Here he was, kissing Lily Evans, and if he wasn't much mistaken, she was kissing him back. The fireworks that were going off in his head were almost too much to bear, but he knew one thing: he never wanted this to end.

But it had to because he was running out of air. He pulled away and looked at her closely. She still had her eyes closed; she seemed to be recovering from the mind-numbing kiss. She opened them to look directly into James'. "Hello." She said, hoarsely.

Lily thought it sounded incredibly lame but she couldn't think of anything else. James smiled and leaned his forehead against hers. "Totally worth it." He said. She started to smile but then her brain turned on. She had just kissed James Potter. She had liked kissing James Potter. James Potter was incredibly close to her and more than likely going to try to kiss her again. She was going to let James Potter kiss her again. She _liked_ James Potter. What the Hell?

She backed away from him, holding up her hands. "I'm- I'm," She stammered. "I'm sorry, but this," She motioned to the air between them. "Can't happen. Sorry." Then she ran to her right.

There was only one word her mind was saying, "Run." And run she did. She busted out of the Forbidden Forest and the small part of her mind that was unaffected by the kiss said, "Ha, knew I was right." She was sure James was right on her tail so she focused on where she needed to go. He couldn't go into the Girl's Dorms but then she'd have to talk to her friends and she wasn't ready for that. Astronomy Tower was too far away. She couldn't go to the Head's Dorm because, duh, James was a Head. She decided she had to find an empty classroom. She sped through the doors to Hogwarts, pass the Great Hall, up a couple flights of stairs, and down a long corridor. She took a left through a door, closed it, locked it, and slid down the wall beside it.

She was positive James wouldn't find her in here. She looked around the room, anything to stop thinking about what had just happened. It was dusty and long forgotten. There were overturned desks and broken chairs huddled in a corner. Peeves had written on the chalkboard: "Peevesies dyed Filchie's kitty pinkie!" Normally this would have made her laugh but not now.

_God._ She ran her fingers through her scarlet hair. _He loves me. He kissed me, loves me, and I ran away from him. Wasn't I just complaining to him about not having any boyfriends? What am I going to do? I have classes with him. I see him in the halls everyday. I can't avoid him. _She banged her head against the wall a couple of times. To clear it, you know? _I'm going to have to drop out. Or dye my hair. Or go to Bauxbatons. This is my last year. It shouldn't be that bad. All I have to do is tough it out and find out where all the secret passages are so I can avoid him. I'll eat in the kitchens. Oh God! Head duties! I just won't call meetings anymore. I guess. And if we have to I'll be… sick! Or I'll pretend nothing happened._

The door next to her burst open, nearly taking her shoulder with it. James stood next to her looking scared. "Lily!" He scanned the room. _Maybe if I don't move he won't see me._

He looked down and saw her. "Lily."

"Hello." She smiled weakly. _Way to go Lily, second lame "hello" in one night._

"Lily." He said, softly. "We need to talk."

"I don't want to talk." She knew she sounded like a child but she didn't care; anything to get out of talking about this. She got up and walked toward the chalkboard.

"So you're just going to ignore me? Pretend like nothing happened?" he asked angrily.

"Probably." She said, truthfully.

"Well, that doesn't work for me." He took a step toward her, she stepped back and once again found herself with her back against the wall. "I'm sorry but that kiss was amazing and I don't want to forget it happened." He peered at her. "What are you so afraid of?" Lily didn't answer. She couldn't speak. "Are you afraid of me?" Lily still didn't answer. "God, Lily, talk to me!" She jumped as he slammed his fist against a decrepit desk.

Lily opened her mouth. "I'm afraid you'll hurt me. No," she said, "I _know_ you'll hurt me."

"What? Lily- I'd never, _ever_-" he insisted, completely surprised.

She interjected, "I hear girls talk about you. About how you date them then drop them off like an old car. Then you pick up a new model. I can't have that. I have a serious amount of pride, you know."

He would have laughed if she hadn't accused him of going to use her. He grabbed her arms. She turned away. "Lily, look at me." Reluctantly she looked into his eyes. "I would never, _ever_ hurt you. I have been trying to date you since first year. Do you think if I succeeded a week later I'd dump you? Seven years wasted for a measly week? No, Lily, I want you for life." Which was a dangerous thing to say for any guy but James was sick of hiding his feelings. This was confession time and he was going to confess. "I thought you were beautiful the first time I saw you. The first time you called me out for hexing Snape I thought you were the bravest person I've ever met. The first time you slapped me for being a jerk I knew you were the one. I pick fights with you because that's the only time you'd give me the time of day. Honestly, I don't think anyone, even me, are good enough for you but, God, Lily, I want you. And I know from that kiss that you want me, too." He looked hopefully at her. She seemed to be expecting something. "I'm done."

She nodded. "Since we're getting confessional in here, I guess I might as well take a swing at it. The first time I saw you I thought you were an ass." James' shoulders slumped. "The first time I saw you hexing Snape I thought you were a bullying ass. The first time I slapped you I thought you were a misogynistic, bullying ass. But the first time I saw you in the library studying by yourself I thought maybe he does deserve the Headship. The first time I saw you not hex Snape I thought 'he lost his marbles. He's been polyjuiced.'" James laughed.

"The first time you walked away from a fight with Snape and he sent a curse at your back and you went to the Hospital wing I thought maybe I should go see him and tell him that maybe he's not as big of an ass as I thought he once was. And that next time Snape tries something like that beat him to a bloody pulp." James laughed harder.

"You came to see me?" he asked

She looked at him. "I'm not done yet." She continued, "The first time you just walked with me down the corridor without asking once if I'd go out with you I thought maybe you'd given up on me." She grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his. "And I have to tell you that was a horrible feeling. So tonight when you kissed me like your life depended on it, it was the best night of my life." She smiled. "James, will you go out with me?"

James' brain was numb. Not the kiss brain-numbing but a better, if you can believe, numbing. Lily Evans, the girl he's been after since first year just asked him out. _She's amazing_.

"James?"

He realized he was just standing there. He whooped with joy, picked her up and spun her around in circles. "Was that a yes?" she asked when he put her down.

He kissed her more deeply than he did in the forest. When he pulled away he said, "That was a hell yes."


End file.
